Method and apparatus for processing display laminate

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for processing display laminate, wherein the display laminate includes a front electrode layer, a display material layer and a protective film layer. The display laminate is continuous. A section of protective film layer is continuously removed from the edge of the display laminate by a cutting unit while the display laminate is running through the cutting unit. After removing the section of the protective film layer, a section of the display material layer located at the same edge as the removed section of the protecting film layer is continuously removed by spraying medium in a spraying unit while the display laminate is running through the spraying unit.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a Divisional Application of copending application Ser. No.13/521,690 filed on Jul. 11, 2012, which was the National Phase of PCTInternational Application No. PCT/FI2011/050011 filed on Jan. 11, 2011and claims priority under U.S.C. § 119(a) to Application No. 20105047,filed in Finland on Jan. 20, 2010, all of which are hereby expresslyincorporated by reference into the present application.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method of processing display laminateand to an apparatus for processing display laminate.

BACKGROUND

In manufacturing the electronic displays many process steps are requiredto create a functional display. For example display laminate provided bythe display element manufacturers requires certain processing before itcan be used as a functional display.

When the display laminate is converted into a functional display, anelectrical contact from driving electronics and backplane to frontelectrode layer must be established. To achieve this, sections ofdisplay laminate need to be removed. In the prior art solutions this isdone by manually cleaning a small region of the display film by softcloth dipped into solvent. This is, of course, a time consuming andtedious job when displays are manufactured in high quantities.

One form of electronic displays are electronic paper displays which areused for example in electronic price tags and e-books. Electronic paperdisplay can be based on electrophoretic display which consists ofsupporting film, front electrode layer and display material layer. Thedisplay material layer can be for example electrophoretic ink layer. Incase of electronic labels based on electrophoretic display laminate,electrophorectic ink is removed from a certain area of the displaymaterial in order to create room for electrical contact to the frontelectrode. The front electrode is typically made of evaporated and verythin ITO (Indium-tin-oxide) so the applied removing method must begentle enough not to damage the electrode.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to remove the disadvantages ofthe prior art methods by presenting a method and an apparatus to processdisplay laminate by removing a section of display material withoutdamaging the front electrode structure.

In the method of the present invention a section of the protective filmlayer is cut from the display laminate in order to be able to remove asection of the display material layer. The section of display materiallayer is removed by spraying medium to the section to be removed.

The presented method can be used for continuous display laminate in aroll-to-roll type process.

After processing the display laminate according to the presentinvention, the continuous display laminate has room for building anelectrical contact from driving electronics and backplane to frontelectrode.

The processed continuous laminate can form a web of display elements.The web of display elements comprises repetitive patterns which comprisesuccessive and/or sequential individual display elements, which can becut off from the web after processing the display laminate.

With present invention's method and apparatus it's possible to achievemuch higher throughput than with the solutions known from prior art.When compared to the manual process known from the prior art, with themethod and apparatus of the present invention much higher quality of theprocessed products can also be achieved. In addition to that, the priorart doesn't teach any method that could be used for continuous displaylaminate or roll-to-roll process.

The apparatus and method of the present invention also handles removingof the protective film from the area to be cleaned in the same process.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 presents an example embodiment of a structure of the displaylaminate.

FIG. 2 presents an example embodiment of a processed display laminatewhen it's attached to a backplane electrode.

FIG. 3 presents an example embodiment of the apparatus of the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 presents a cross sectional view of an example embodiment of acutting unit.

FIG. 5 presents a cross sectional view of an example embodiment of aspray unit in direction the display laminate is running.

FIG. 6 presents a cross sectional view of an example embodiment of aspray unit in cross direction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An example embodiment of display laminate used in the solution of thepresent invention is presented in FIG. 1. The display laminate of FIG. 1is preferably substantially flexible. On the bottom of the displaylaminate is a protective film layer 102. The protective film layer 102may consist of any flexible material, for example paper, board, orplastic, such as PET, PP, or PE. The protective layer may be in the formof a nonwoven, a fabric, or a foil. Display material layer 104 is placedbetween the protective film layer 102 and front electrode layer 106. Thedisplay material layer 104 can be made for example from electrophoreticink. Front electrode layer 106 can be made of evaporated and thin ITO(indium-tin-oxide), PEDOT (poly-(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)), or carbonnanotubes. On top of the front electrode layer 106 it's possible to havea support layer 108 which protects the front electrode layer 106. Thesupport layer 108 can be made of transparent material, for example clearpolymer. A removable masking film layer 110 can be installed on top ofthe support layer 108 to protect the support layer during manufacturingand transporting. The masking film layer 110 can be removed beforetaking the product in to use or during processing of the displaylaminate.

To process the display laminate into a functional display, an electricalcontact from driving electronics and backplane to front electrode layermust be established. For creating room for the electrical contact, firsta section of the protecting film layer 102 and a section of the displaymaterial layer 104 needs to be removed. The area 112 that needs to beremoved is presented in FIG. 1. Later in the process electricallyconducting material can be installed to area 112.

FIG. 2 presents an example embodiment of a processed display laminatewhen it's attached to a backplane electrode layer 204 and when theelectrical contact is established between front electrode layer 106 andback electrode layer 204. The electrical contact is established byinstalling an electrically conductive adhesive 202 to the area 208 wherethe display material was removed. The electrically conductive adhesive202 forms a contact between the front electrode layer and back electrodelayer 204 which makes the display element functional. The processeddisplay element with backplane electrode can be attached to a displaysubstrate 206.

FIG. 3 presents an example embodiment of the display laminate processingapparatus according to the present invention. The apparatus comprises acutting unit 304, a wetting unit 308, a spraying unit 310 and a dryingunit 312. The medium used in the apparatus is pumped from high pressurepumps 324 and 322. Heat exchanger 320 can be used to heat or cool themedium used in the apparatus and filter 318 is used to filter themedium.

Display laminate can be stored as a roll. The apparatus according topresent invention makes it possible to use a continuous roll-to-rollprocess in processing the display laminate. Therefore the apparatus alsohas rolls 302, 306, 314, 302 and 316 to facilitate theroll-to-roll-process.

Removing a section of display laminate begins by unwinding the displaylaminate roll 302 and feeding it to the cutting unit 304. In the cuttingunit 304, a section of the protective film layer 102 covering thedisplay material layer 104 is removed.

FIG. 4 presents a cross sectional view of an example embodiment of thecutting unit 304. In the cutting unit 304 the section of the protectivefilm layer 102 not to be removed from the display laminate is supportedby a support 402. In the cutting unit 304 the edge of the protectivefilm layer 102 is turned by using a support 406 so that a gap is createdbetween the display film and the protective film layer. The angle ofturning of support 406 can be for example 45 degrees. After turning theprotective film layer 102, the protective film layer 102 is cut by ablade 404. Roll 306 can rewind the removed part of the protective filmlayer 102 while the remaining display laminate is continuing to the nextprocessing unit.

After removing a section of the protective film layer 102, a section ofthe display material layer 104 needs to be removed. Before removing asection of the display material layer 104 located at the same edge asthe removed part of the protective film layer 102, the section ofdisplay material layer 104 can be wetted. This is done by wetting thearea where the display material is to be removed for example withwashing liquid, solvent or similar medium in wetting unit 308. Thewetting unit 308 is constructed so that the film enters a cavity forminga small washing chamber through a narrow gap. Washing liquid, solvent orsimilar medium is sprayed into the area to be removed from below. Theused medium is directed from the washing chamber downwards by gravity.This creates a vacuum in the washing chamber preventing the medium fromleaking out of the chamber through web enter or exit gaps.

After optional wetting, the section of the display material layer 104 isremoved in the spraying unit 310. FIG. 5 presents an example embodimentof the spraying unit 310 viewed in direction the display laminate isrunning. While the continuous display laminate 502 is running throughthe spraying unit, spray 504 is removing a section of the displaymaterial layer as the display laminate passes the spray 504. A mediumfeed line 506 is arranged to provide medium to be sprayed to the spray504. The medium used for removing the display material layer 104 cancontain liquid or gas; it can be for example washing liquid or solvent.The drain lines 508 can be used for directing the used medium back tothe high pressure pumps 322, 324.

FIG. 6 presents a cross section of the spray unit 310 viewed in crossdirection. A support block 602 can be used to keep the continuousdisplay laminate in correct position for the removal of the section ofthe display material layer 104. The support block 602 can bespring-loaded.

The spraying unit can use higher pressure than the wetting unit. Thepressure for example up to 100 bar can be used for removing theelectrophoretic ink and the adhesive. However, the high pressure spray504 does not damage the front electrode layer. The way spraying is doneprevents high pressure medium from leaking out of the chamber.Furthermore, the spray 504 can be aligned so that it partially overlapsthe protective layer 102 of the display laminate, preventing sprayedmedium from entering the region below the protective film layer 102. Ifnecessary, more than one spraying station 310 can be used in series.

After removing the section of display material layer 104, the remainingdisplay laminate can be then dried in a drying station 312 where thedisplay laminate passes through another narrow gap and is blown dry forexample by pressurized air. The drying unit can also use a fan or ascraper for drying the display laminate.

The display laminate has a thin masking film 110 on the front side, soany residues from cleaning process can be removed from the front side byremoving the masking film 110. The masking film can be rewind to theroll 314.

In one embodiment of the invention the electronically conductiveadhesive 202 may be installed to the area where display material wasremoved. A release can be installed to cover the conductive adhesivearea 202.

In the end of the process the display laminate can be rewind back toroll 316. In one embodiment of the invention the display laminate canalso be cut into display labels. The cutting can be done e.g. by using alaser.

Some residues from the cleaning process may be left on the back side ofthe display laminate. When the processed display laminate is rewound,these residues can be transferred to the front side. This can be avoidedby laminating a pressure sensitive masking tape from roll 302 to sealthe back side of the display laminate which prevents residues from beingtransferred to the front side of a display laminate in a roll. Thepressure sensitive masking tape 302 may be wider than the conductiveadhesive 202 and its release. The pressure sensitive masking tape cancover the whole width of the web of display laminate. The material andproperties of the masking tape 302 may be such that the release of theconductive adhesive 202 may be removed by removing the masking tape,i.e. the release sticks to the masking tape when the masking tape isremoved from display laminate.

In one embodiment of the invention, the apparatus of the presentinvention can use liquid in the wetting and spraying units. Liquid iscirculated in the apparatus. The liquid can be heated or it can heat upin the high pressure process. After exiting the wetting or sprayingunits, liquid can be cooled in heat exchanger 320, filtered andpressurized again.

The invention relates to a method of processing a display laminate,wherein the display laminate comprises a front electrode layer 106, adisplay material layer 104 and a protective film layer 102. The methodcomprises following steps: providing a continuous web 100 of the displaylaminate, continuously removing a section of the protective film layer102 from the edge of the display laminate web 100, and after removingthe section of the protective film layer 102, continuously removing asection of the display material layer 104 located at the same edge ofthe web as the removed section of the protective film layer 102.

In one embodiment of the invention the widths of the removed sections ofthe protective film layer 102 and the display material layer 104 areequal.

In one embodiment of the invention the section the display materiallayer 104 is removed by spraying medium at least into the section of thedisplay material layer 104 located at the same edge of the web as theremoved section of the protective film layer 102.

In one embodiment of the invention after removing the section of theprotective film layer 102 and before removing the section of the displaymaterial layer 104, the section of the display material layer iscontinuously wetted by a wetting unit 308 while the continuous displaylaminate is running through the wetting unit 308.

In one embodiment of the invention display material is stored as adisplay element roll, and before removing a section of protective filmlayer 102, the display element roll is unwind. After removing thesection of the display material layer 104, display element roll isrewind.

In one embodiment of the invention the medium to be sprayed is gas orliquid.

In one embodiment of the invention removing a section of the protectivefilm layer 102 is done by separating it from the display material layer104 so that a gap is created between the protective film layer 102 andthe display material layer 104 and after that cutting the protectivefilm layer 102.

In one embodiment of the invention the medium is sprayed by using aspray 504 which is aligned so that it partially overlaps the protectivefilm layer 102 preventing medium from entering a region below theprotective film layer 102.

In one embodiment of the invention the display laminate is dried beforerewinding the display material in a drying unit 312 e.g. by usingpressurized air.

In one embodiment of the invention a masking tape 110 is attached to theprotective film layer of the display laminate before rewinding thedisplay material.

The invention relates also to an apparatus for processing a displaylaminate, wherein the display laminate comprises a front electrode layer106, a display material layer 104 and a protective film layer 102. Theapparatus comprises: means for providing a continuous web 100 of thedisplay laminate, a protective film layer remover for continuouslyremoving a section of the protective film layer 102 from the edge of thedisplay laminate web 100, and a display material layer remover, arrangedafter the protective film layer remover, for continuously removing asection of the display material layer 104 located at the same edge ofthe web as the removed section of the protective film layer 102.

In one embodiment of the invention the protective film layer remover isa cutting unit 304 adapted to remove a section of the protective filmlayer 102 from the edge of the display laminate web, which iscontinuous, while the display laminate is running through the cuttingunit 304. The display material layer remover is a spraying unit 310adapted to remove a section of the display material layer 104 byspraying medium while the continuous display laminate is running throughthe spraying unit 310 after the section of protective film layer 102 isremoved, the section of the display material layer 104 located at thesame edge as the removed section of the protective film layer 102.

In one embodiment of the invention the apparatus further comprises: awetting unit 308 adapted to wet a section of the display material layer104 while the continuous display laminate is running through the wettingunit 308 after the section of the protective film layer 102 is removedand before the section of the display material layer 104 is removed.

In one embodiment of the invention the apparatus comprises: a displaymaterial roll for storing the display element roll web, and an unwinderto unwind the display element roll before removing a section ofprotective film layer 102, and a rewinder to rewind the display elementroll after removing the section of the display material layer 104.

In one embodiment of the invention the apparatus is adapted to use gasor liquid as medium to be sprayed.

In one embodiment of the invention the apparatus is adapted to remove asection of the protective film layer 102 by turning the protecting filmlayer 102 so that a gap is created between the protective film layer 102and the display material layer 104 and after the protecting film layer102 is turned to cut the protective film layer 102 by a blade 404.

In one embodiment of the invention the apparatus comprises a spray 504which is aligned so that it partially overlaps the protective film layer102 preventing medium from entering a region below the protective filmlayer 102.

In one embodiment of the invention the apparatus comprises a drying unit312 which is adapted to dry the display laminate before the displaymaterial is rewind.

In one embodiment of the invention the apparatus is adapted to attach amasking tape 110 to the protective film layer of the continuous displaylaminate before the continuous display material is rewind.

The invention relates also to a processed display laminate comprising afront electrode layer 106, a display material layer 102 and a protectivefilm layer 102. The display laminate has been processed by using any ofthe methods of present invention.

In one embodiment of the invention a display laminate comprises a frontelectrode layer 106, a display material layer 104 and a protective filmlayer 102. The display laminate is a continuous web 100, wherein theprotective film layer 102 and the display material layer 104 arenarrower than the front electrode layer 106.

In one embodiment of the invention the protective film layer 102 and thedisplay material layer 104 have a common edge with the front electrodelayer 106 on the first side and a common edge with each other but notwith the front electrode layer 106 on the opposite side.

Although exemplary embodiments of the present invention have beendescribed with reference to the attached drawings, the present inventionis not limited to these embodiments, and it should be appreciated tothose skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and changes canbe made without departing from the spirit and scope of the presentinvention.

The invention claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for continuously processing adisplay laminate web containing a front electrode layer, a displaymaterial layer and a protective film layer without damaging the frontelectrode layer, wherein the apparatus comprises: means for providing acontinuous web of the display laminate, a protective film layer removerfor continuously removing a section of the protective film layer from anedge of the display laminate web, wherein the protective film layerremover is a cutting unit adapted to remove a section of the protectivefilm layer from the edge of the display laminate web, which iscontinuous, while the display laminate is continuously running throughthe cutting unit a wetting unit provided after the protective film layerremover to wet a section of the display material layer while thecontinuous display laminate is running through the wetting unit, and adisplay material layer remover arranged after the wetting unit forcontinuously removing a section of the display material layer located atthe same edge of the web as the removed section of the protective filmlayer wherein the display material layer remover is a spraying unitadapted to remove a section of the display material layer by a sprayingmedium while the continuous display laminate is running through thespraying unit after the section of protective film layer is removed, thesection of the display material layer being located at the same edge asthe removed section of the protective film layer.
 2. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein a display material roll is provided for storing thedisplay element roll web, an unwinder is provided to unwind the displayelement roll before removing a section of protective film layer, and arewinder is provided to rewind the display element roll after removingthe section of the display material layer.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the display material layer remover is a spray unit whichutilizes a gas or a liquid.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein asupport element is adapted to engage and turn a section of theprotective film layer forming a gap between the protective film layerand the display material layer and a blade is utilized to cut theprotective film layer.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sprayunit is aligned so that it partially overlaps with the protective filmlayer preventing medium from entering a region below the protective filmlayer.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a drying unit is utilized todry the display laminate before the display material is rewound.
 7. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein means are provided for attaching a maskingtape to the protective film layer of the continuous display laminatebefore the continuous display material is rewound.
 8. An apparatus forcontinuously processing a display laminate web containing a frontelectrode layer, a display material layer and a protective film layerwithout damaging the front electrode layer, wherein the apparatuscomprises: means for providing a continuous web of the display laminate,a protective film layer cutting unit for continuously removing a sectionof the protective film layer from an edge of the display laminate web, awetting unit provided after the protective film layer remover to wet asection of the display material while the continuous display laminate isrunning through the wetting unit, and a spraying unit provided after thewetting unit for continuously removing a section of the display materiallayer located at the same edge of the web as the removed section of theprotective film layer, wherein a display material roll is provided forstoring the display element roll web; an unwinder is provided to unwindthe display element roll before removing a section of the protectivefilm layer, and a rewinder is provided to rewind the display elementroll after removing the section of the display material layer.
 9. Aroll-to-roll apparatus for continuously conveying and processing adisplay laminate web containing a front electrode layer, a displaymaterial layer and a protective film layer, without damaging the frontelectrode layer, which comprises, a supply roll, a cutting unit, awetting unit, a spray unit, a drying unit and a storage roll, wherein,the supply roll conveys the display laminate web, in sequence to thecutting unit, the wetting unit, the spraying unit, the drying unit andthe storage roll, wherein a section of the protective film layer iscontinuously removed by the cutting unit from an edge of the displaylaminate web and the removed section is wound on a separate roll, aremaining display laminate web is conveyed to the wetting unit where asection of the display material layer to be removed from the edge of theweb, is wetted, the display laminate web is then conveyed to thespraying unit where the wetted section of the display material isremoved from the edge of the web without damaging the front electrodelayer, and the display laminate web is then conveyed to the drying unitwhere the web is dried and rewound onto a storage roll.